In 2016 the European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management (EIASM) launched a new Award to acknowledge individuals who have made exemplary contributions in interdisciplinary research. EIASM believes that Interdisciplinarity is needed to ensure that theory-building, empirical research, education and institution-building in management integrate knowledge and progress in an era of increasing specialization. This is essential to further develop management as a field that is able to advance theoretically, to provide relevant knowledge for students and practitioners, and to ultimately help to deal with the grand and highly complex challenges of contemporary society.

The award is meant to honor the work of exemplary scholarship and/or institutional leadership. This may be shown in promoting specific cross-disciplinary streams of research, in developing new interdisciplinary theories or methods, in applying ideas, theories or methods from other sciences, in interdisciplinary education or pedagogical innovations, in applying interdisciplinary ideas in practice, in facilitating dialogue across disciplines or sciences, in exceptional service for academic societies or associations, or in serving as an example for others in promoting interdisciplinarity, diversity and/or pluralism across management studies.

• The 1^st EIASM Interdisciplinary Leader Award was handed over in April 2017 to Professor Barbara Czarniawska, Professor at the University of Gothenburg, awarding her exemplary contributions in interdisciplinary research. At the EIASM Academic Council meeting 2017, Professor Czarniawska gave an inspiring speech on “The perils and promise of transdisciplinary research” (audio link).
• The 2^nd EIASM Interdisciplinary Leader Award was handed over in the Spring 2018 to Professor Bent Flyvbjerg, BT Professor and Chair of Major Programme Management at Oxford University’s Said Business School. 
• The 3rd EIASM Interdisciplinary Leader Award has been handed over on 23rd September 2019 to Professor Peter J. Buckley, Leeds University Business School.  At the EIASM Academic Council meeting 2019, Professor Buckley gave an inspiring speech on “Interdisciplinary Research: the example of International Business”. To have access to the video of the speech, please click HERE 

• The 4^th EIASM Interdisciplinary Leader Award has been handed over on 9^th September 2021 to Prof. Ingmar Björkman, from Aalto University School of Business.

• The 5^th EIASM Interdisciplinary Leader Award was handed over in April 2023 to Professor Paolo Quattrone, from the Alliance Manchester Business School, awarding his exemplary contributions in interdisciplinary research. At the EIASM Academic Council meeting 2023, Professor Quattrone gave an inspiring speech on ““Is the university now outside the university? Interdisciplinarity in liminal and marginal spaces”.